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1 t e e h S S t e e h S 7 N 0 I LM L M ,E M 0 0 TN A I P m d 0 M 0 m Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

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(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 2.

T.' GAHILL. IPIANOFORTE ACTION.

No. 554,108. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

Witness es 171% nbar r AMDREW RGRAHAM.PHOTO'UTHQWASHINGTON Dc (No Model.) I 7 sheetssheet 3.

T- GAHILL.

v7, PIANOFORTE ACTION.

No, 554,108. Patented Feb-4,1896.

AN DREW B,GRMMM. PHDTO'UTHD.WASH!NGTON. D C.

1140 Model.) '1 Sheets-Sheet 4. T. CAHILL.

PIANOPORTE AGTION.

No. 554,108. Paten tedFeb. 4, 1896.

'(No Model.) 7 Sheets-Sheet 5.

. T. CAHILL.

PIANOFORTE ACTION.

No. 564,108. Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

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T. OAHILL. PIANOFORTE ACTION.

No. 554,108 Patented Feb. 4, 1896.

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UNITED STAT S PATENT OFFICE.

THADDEUS CAHILL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

PIANOFO RT E-ACTION.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,108, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed March 21, 1893.

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THADDEUS OAHILL, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city, county, and State of New York, but residing temporarily at WVashington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pianoforte- Actions, of which the following is a specification.

The object of my invention is to construct a simple, durable, and perfect power pianoforte-action, and more particularly to reduce to a minimum the power required to impel the friction-driver; and my invention consists in the parts, improvements and combinations hereinafter described and claimed.

The concrete structure herein described in illustration of my invention consists of (a) a rotating, circular friction-driver, tractionshaft or tractor; (b) a hammer, mounted upon a hammer-shank, and having a curved hammer-butt, the curved surface of which lies normally in close proximity to the surface of the friction-driver, traction-shaft or tractor, said hammer-butt serving as a contact-piece to take power from the friction-driver for the impelling of the hammer; (c) a pressure-lever or hammer-butt carrier, upon whichthe before-m entioned hammer-butt is mounted and by which the curved surface of said hammerbutt is pressed against the traction-shaft or tractor when the key is depressed; (d) escapement mechanism whereby the hammer is released from the tractor or friction-driver after it is moved by the same; (6) checking mechanism, whereby the rebound of the hammer is broken, and it is prevented from striking the string more than once for each depression of the key; and (f means for mounting the friction-driver so as to reduce to a minimum the power required to impel said part.

The present application relates only to the means for mounting the friction-driver.

The construction of hammer, curved hammer-butt, pressure-lever carrying the hammer-butt, escapement and checking mechanism illustrated in the drawings (and described herein as an illustration of what I mean by a friction-driver action forms the subject-matter of another application of even date herewith, Serial No. 467,096.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure lis $erial No. 467,697. (No model.)

a front elevation of the main frame of the action with the friction-driver and its mountings, the other parts being removed. Fig. 2 is a sectional view in elevation on the plane of the line 00 00 in Fig. 1, illustrating the friction-driver, its mountings, and its connection with the hammer and other parts of the action. Fig. 3 is a detail sectional elevation, on a larger scale than the other figures, illustratin g more clearly a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 2. Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the main frame and parts mounted thereon. Fig. 5 is a detail sectional elevation on the line y y, Fig. 1. Fig. 6 is a detail elevation illustratinga modified construction, and Fig.'7 is a detail view in sectional elevation illustrating another modification. Fig. 8 is a front elevation similar to Fig. 1, but illustrating a modification in which the friction-driver is supported by supportingwheels at each end instead of under its middle, and in which the friction-driver is mounted in vertically-movable boxes, its ends resting upon the inside surface of rims formed upon the supporting-wheels, which latter are mounted upon fixed axles. Fig. 9 isa view similar to Fig. 8, but partly in section and with the bars that hold the retaining-boxes or retaining-bearings of the friction-driver in place removed to show such bearings. Fig. 10 is a sectional view in elevation on the line so to, Fig. 8, looking to the left of said figure; and Fig. 11 is a similar view on the same line, but looking to the right of the figure.

The main frame of the action consists essentially of upright or vertical ribs A A, con nected together by an upper horizontal rib, A, and a lower horizontal rib, A said ribs A and A being also connected by shorter vertical ribs A and A. Said main frame is made of cast-iron or other suitable material and is attached by studs A and nuts A to the main frame of the instrument, blocks A of rubber or other sound-deadening material being interposed between the action main frame and the main frame of the instrument, which latter main frame is not shown, as it forms no part of my invention.

The action main frame lies in front of the main frame of the instrument, and of course in front of the strings, the main frame of the piano being inclined from the vertical at an angle shown by the string in Figs. 2 and 3, so as to bring the string close to the hammers above and enable them to clear the wheels (I, c, and f below.

Retaining-boxes Z) Z) in line with each other are attached to the main frame by studs and belts. in these boxes the traction-shaft or frietion-driver U is set. \Vhen the mechanism is adjusted as it should be no part of the weight of the friction-driver falls on the boxes I) I). They serve only to retain it in its proper position to prevent the displacement of it. Hence I call them retaining-boxes. There is nothing peculiar in the construction of these boxes. Any suitable form of box or journal may be used. Three boxes 0 c 0 exactly similar to each other, are mounted upon stud-posts 0 0 so as to be capable of swiveling thereon. The stud-pests c c 'c are attached to the main f rame A by nuts 0 e c, (not seen in the main view,) while similar nuts 0 c 0" serve to retain the boxes 0 0 respectively, on their stud-posts. A support ing-wheel (Z lies immediatelyunder the center of gravity of the frictiondriver t). A shaft (1 is attached fast to the wheel (7. Said shaft (1 passes through the vertically-movable retaining-box (Z and through the swiveling box 1'. It rests upon the supportingwheel A shaft 6 is attached fast to the wheel 0. Said shaft 6 passes through a vertically-movable retaining-box c and through the swiveling box 0. 1t rests upon a supporting-wheel f. A shaft-f passes through a vertically-mevable retaining-box f and through the swiveling box 0 A weight-wheel (1*, having a hub d, is attached to the shaft (1'', and a similar but heavier weight-wheel, 1:, having a hub e", is attached to the shaft c.

g g, g", g", g, and g are collars attached to the shafts d, e, and f by setscrews. (Not shown in the drawings.)

Displacement of the shaft (2" in the line of its axis is prevented by the hub d and the collar 5 which lie on opposite sides of the box and in close proximity to it.

Displacement of the shaft 6 in the line of its axis is prevented by the hub c and the collar g, which lie on opposite sides of the box 0' and in close proximity to it.

Displacement of the shaftf in the line of its axis is prevented by the collars and g, which lie on opposite sides of the box (2 and in close proximity to it.

The retaining-boxes 0 f respectively, are prevented from displacement in the lines of the axes of their respective shafts it, e and f by the collars g", g and g, respectively,

and by the greater diameter of their respective shafts d, c and f between said boxes (1 6" and f respectively, and the wheels (I, e and 1'', respectively, the diameters of the shafts d, c and f within their respective vcrtically-movable retaining-boxes being the same as their dian'ieter to the right of such boxes, while their diameter to the left of said boxes greater.

The boxes (1 e and f are exactly similar to each other and are held in place by the main-frame rib A and the plate A. The latter is held in place by studs A" A" and retain ing-nuts. These studs consist: of a central portion of larger diameter and end portions of smaller diameter, threaded at the extremities. They are secured to the intuit-frame rib A by nuts 1 23 r and the distance between the rib A and the plate A is slightly greater than the thickness of the boxes andf so that said boxes are free to move vertically, but are kept from horizontal displacement. A lever (1 swivelingly mounted on a stud-post d and carrying a weight (1, exerts a pressure upward on the box (7" exactly equal to the weight of said box. A, similar lever, e swivelingly mounted on a stud-post: c and carrying a similar weight, (1 in like manner exerts a pressure upward on the box exactly equal to the weight of said box. The wheel (1" is made of such aweight that the shaft (1 balances on the supportingavheel. 6 when the weight of the friction-driver t? is resting upon the wheel (7. In like manner the wheel (fis made of such a weight that the shaft 0 balances on the supportirig-wheel j when the weight of the frictional river t, and the weight of the shaft Ll and the parts attached to it rest upon the wheel (1. A weight 71 is set upon a red 7b, which is attached to a casting 71., which is swivclingly mounted on a stud-post h and held in place thereon by a nut 71 A push-bar h is attached by the center-pin 71 to the casting 7L The rod 7i is threaded and the weight It is adj ustcd thereon by nuts 71f and 71 The weight 7/. is made of such a mass and is so adjusted on the rod 71 that it exerts an upward pressure on the box f through the push-bar 71. exactly equal to the downward pressure on said box of the shaft f and the parts whose weight it btatis. Thus the weight of the friction-d river is borne in the first place by the supporting-\\'ln -el (7, which transmits it, by the shaft (7', to the wheel 0, which in turn transmits it by the shaft 0 to the wheel 1''. It will be seen also that as he parts are n'oportioned in the d rawings the angular velocity of the wheel d is much less than that of the fl'lCl'it i-driver t, and the angular velocity of the wheel 0 is much less than that of the wheel (I, and the angular velocity of the wheel f is much less than that of the wheel (9. In this manner the friction is very greatly red need.

1) is the key.

15 is the hammer; E, the hammer-shank; E the lnnnmer-butt, which is ull-jointed to the pressure lever l which last is attached by a llange G to the action-rail (1,. The hammer-butt serves as a contactactic to take power from the friction-driver The lower surface of said hammerdn'lltlll' is curved, the

center from which the curve is described being the center of the pin by which the hammer-butt E is connected with the pressurelever F.

II is the reaclrup, which is pin-j ointed to the bridle-levers H and H which are attached by flanges II and H, respectively, to the actionrails to and a respectively. A jack or fly-lever H is also pin-j ointed to the lever II. An expansive spring H holds the jack H normally in contact with the adjustable stop H which is attached to the rail to by a screw passing through an elliptical slot in said stop H whereby adjustment of said stop is made. In its normal position the jack H lies under the end of the pressure-lever F and in close proximity thereto.

A pushbar K is pin-j ointed to the hammerbutt E below the center of attachment of said hammer-butt with the pressure lever. A weight K serves to balance the push-bar on the pin by which it is connected with the ham mer-butt E The pressure-l ever F rests normally in contact with the action-rail a and holds the curved hammer-butt E in close proximity to, but free from contact with, the friction-driver O. The front part of the pushbar K lies between the lower surface of the action-rail a and the upper surface of the reach-up II. The damper-lever L is attached by a flange L to the rail 60 A spring holds the damper normally in contact with the string M, to which it corresponds. A pushbar L is connected withthe damper-lever and arranged in the path of motion of the hammerbutt, so that the hammers movement toward the string withdraws the damper from con tact with the string.

The shaft 0 is rotated in a suitable manner. The means of rotating it will be obvious to any one skilled in the art. In some situations an electricmotor may be most conveniently employed. An ordinary foot-pedal may be used, or a water-motor may be employed. The shaft must be in some manner rotated; but the mode of rotating it forms no part of the present invention. An improved pedal arrangement for this purpose is described in another application of even date herewith, Serial N 0. 467,096.

\Vhen the key D is depressed by the performer it raises the reach-up II,which through the intervention of the bridle lever II and jack or fly-lever H moves the pressure-lever F from its normal position and presses the curved surface of the hammer-butt E against the moving friction driver 0, which at once exerts a traction on said hammer-butt approximately proportional to the pressure on the key and throws the hammer toward the string M. As the hammer E moves toward the string, the push-bar K moves toward the jack H and at or about the instant the hammer strikes the string the pushbar K forces the lever 11 out from under the pressurelever F, which immediately returns to its normal position, raising the hammer-butt E from contact with the friction driver C and so releasing said hammer-butt from the traction of said friction driver. At the same time the reach-up II, under the influence of the pressure on the key, rises a little and presses the pushbar K against the actionrail a by which it is arrested. The hammer now rebounds and retreats from the string a certain distance, the force of the rebound be ing broken by the friction of the push-bar K against the top of the reach-up H and the bottom of the rail a against which it is pressed by said reach-up. In this position the hammer is held until the key is released, when the parts return to their normal positions.

Many modifications of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1, 2, 4, and 5 may be made without departing from some of the essentials of my invention. I shall point out a few of these modifications.

The object of using a train or series of supporting-wheels, as d, e and f, is to reduce with each wheel of the train or series the sum total of the friction; but it is not necessary to employ a train or series of supportingwheels. In several of the drawings, it will be observed, a single supporting-wheel is used instead of a train; and it will be obvious that in the device of Figs. 1, 4; and 5 the lower wheel, f, with its shaft, boxes, collars and balancing-wheel, might be omitted, the weight-pressed bar it being extended up to the box 6 or the two lower wheels of the train, f and e, with their shafts, boxes, collars and balancing wheels, might both be omitted, the bar h being in such case extended up to the box d This will be obvious.

Instead of placing the supporting wheels below the friction-driver, they may be placed above it; and this may be done in at least two different ways: (a) by connecting the supporting-wheel with the friction-driver by a cord, belt or band, on which the frictiondriver rests and by which its weight is transmitted to the supporting-wheel, or (b) by furnishing the supporting-wheels with rims, on the inside of which the traction-shaft rests. The first of these arrangements is represented in cross-section and partly in elevation in the detail view, Fig. 6, in which C is the friction driver; 6, the supporting wheel; 6, an endless belt, cord or band connecting them; f, a lever, centered at f, upon which the supporting-wheel e is rotatably mounted; and g is a weight connected with the lever f by an adjustable piece 9, and serving to exert upon the friction driver G, through the wheel 6 and belt 6, an upward pressure equal to the weight of said frictiondriver.

Instead of employing a friction-driver incapable of vertical movement and an upwardlypressed supporting wheel or supportingwheels, the supporting wheel or wheels may be made incapable of up-and-down movement and the friction-driver be arranged to rest upon them. This can be done in a variety of ways, which it is not necessary to describe in detail. I shall describe one such arrangement only. (See Figs. 8, 9, l0 and III.) A fixed shaft 2 extends parallel with the friction-driver C, being supported by brackets 3 3, screwed fast to the tops of the upright ribs A A of the main frame. Supporting-wheels l I turn loosely on this shaft. Each of these wheels is furnished with an inwardly-extending rim, (see Figs. 0 and 10,) and on these rims the small turned ends of the frictiondriver 0 rest. The retaining-boxes I) Z), in which the 'fl'lGtlOTl-(ll'lYQl' is set, are not fastened to the upright ribs A A, but are held in place between said ribs A A and a fiat bar 5, as illustrated in the drawings. The bar 5 is held in place by nuts 6 (3, screwed onto studs 7 7. These studs are set fast in the upright ribs A A. Collars S S encircle these studs and hold the bar 5 away from the rib A such a distance that the retaining-boxes l) b are free to move up and down, but restrained from motion sidewise. The nuts 6 (5 hold the bar 5 tightly against the collars S 8.

I have shown fixed retaining-boxes for the friction-driver and vertically-n1ovable supporting-wheels, and I have also shown supporting-wheels set 011 fixed axles, the frictiondriver being mounted in movable boxes. The object is to prevent displacement of the friction-driver and transfer its weight to a wheel or other suitable angularly-moving surface; and this may be done by suitable means, even though the friction-drivel. and the supporting wheeler wheels are alike mounted .in fixed boxes. It may be done, for instance, by an endless band or belt connecting the frictiondriver with the supporting-wheel above it, the band being subjected to such a pressure that its upward pressure on the friction-driver equals the weight of said part. The belt may be subjected to the necessary pressure by a small wheel, spring-pressed against it, as in Fig. 7, in which C is the friction-driver turned small where the belt acts upon it; (I, the supporting-wheel mounted upon the shaft (1; (P, the belt; (1", the pressure-wheel pressing against said belt it, a lever upon which said wheel is mounted; a bar connected with the frame and into which the shoulder-screw is driven, upon which the lever d" is :fulcrumed, and d an adjustable contractile spring which serves to press the wheel d against the belt with just so much force that the upward pull of the belt (Z on the friction-driver G exactly equals its weight; and many other modifications may be made, too numerous to mention. As springs, for example, are in general interchangeable with weights, it will be understood that the spring used in Fig. 7 might be used instead of the weight in Figs. 1 and (5, and that the weight of Figs. 1 and (3 might be used instead of the spring in Fig. 7. It is entirely immaterial whether a spring or a weight be used; and, indeed, it will be understood from the drawings and the description before given that neither a spring nor a weight is indispensable to the carrying out of my invention. in some of its forms.

I do not claim herein the arrangement of hammer, hammer-butt, lever carrying hammer-butt, escapement and checking mechanism herein described, for that, as before mentioned, forms the subject-matter of another application of even date herewith, Serial No. $67,096; but

\Vhat I do claim herein, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a pianoforte -action, a .rotatively mounted friction-driver, circular in crosssection and arranged transversely to the keys of the instrument, and an angularly-n'iovi11g supporting-s11rface for said friction-driver.

2. In a pianoforte and in combination, a rotatively-mounted friction driver, circular in cross-section and arranged transversely to the keys of the instrument, retaining-bearr ings therefor, serving to prevent displacement of said friction-driver, an angularly moving supporting-surface for said frictiondriver, and means serving to press said angularly moving supporting surface upwardly against said friction-driver, so that the weight of said friction-driver is borne in whole or in part by said angnlarly-moving supportingsurface.

In a pianoforte action, a rotativelymounted friction-driver circular in cross-see tion and arranged transversely to the keys of the instrument, in combination with a supporting-wheel serving to sustain. the weight of said friction-driver in whole or in part.

4. In a pianoforte and in combination, a rotatively mounted friction driver, eireu la r in cross-section and arranged transversely to the keys of the instrument, retaining-boarings for said friction-driver serving to prevent displacement of said friction-driver, and a supporting-wl1eel serving to sustain. the weight of said friction-driver in whole or in part.

5. In a piano'forte and in combination, a rotatively-mounted f riction-driver of circular cross-section, retaining bearin gs for said frietion-driver serving to prevent displacement of said f riction-driver, a supporting-wheel for said friction-driver and means servin to rc lieve the before-mentioned retaining-bear ings (in part or in whole) of the weight of the before-mentioned friction-drivel.-andtotrans fer the same in. whole or in part to the beforementioned supporting-wheel.

6. In a pianoforte and in combination, a rotatively-mounted f riction-d river of circular cross-section, a supporting-wheel serving to sustain the weight of the fricti m-driver in whole or in part, a vertically-movable shaft or axle upon which said supporting-whecl is mounted, and means serving to press said supporting-wheel upwardly, so that the weight of the before111entio11ed friction-driver is made to rest in whole or in part upon the before-mentioned supporting-wheel.

7. In a pianoforte and in combination, a

rotatively-mounted friction-driver of circular cross-section, retaining-bearings for said friction-driver, serving to prevent displacement of said fricti0n-driver, a supporting-wheel for said friction-driver, placed below said friction-driver, and means serving to press said supporting-wheel upwardly against the before-mentioned friction-driver, so that the Weight of the before-mentioned frictiondriver is made to rest in whole or in part upon said supporting-wheel.

8. In a pianoforte and in combination, a rotatively-mounted friction-driver circular in cross-section, a supporting-Wheel serving to sustain the weight of said friction-driver in whole or in part, and an angularly-moving supporting surface for said supportingwheel.

9. In a pianoforte and in combination, a rotatively-mounted friction-driver of circular cross-section retaining-bearin gs for said friction-driver, serving to prevent the displacement of said friction-driver; a supportingwheel for said friction-driver, said supporting-wheel having attached to it a circular part of smaller diameter than itself; and a supporting-wheel for said circular part.

10. In a pianoforte and in combination, a rotatively-mounted friction-driver of circular cross-section; retaining-bearings, serving to prevent the displacement of said frictiondriver; a suporting-Wheel for said frictiondriver, said supporting-Wheel having a circular part of smaller diameter than itself attached to it; a suppporting-wheel for said circular part; and means serving to press the last-mentioned supporting-wheel upwardly, thereby exerting an upward pressure on the fricti0ndriver, and supporting its weight in whole or in part.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand, at Washington, in the District of Columbia, this 6th day of January, A. D. 1893.

THADDEUS CAI-IILL. Witnesses:

GEO. F. CAHILL, ARTHUR T. CAHILL. 

